B’nai B’rith World Center Director Alan Schneider presented 10 satellite phones to the commanders of 10 regional civilian search and rescue teams at a ceremony that took place on May 4 at the Emek Israel Regional Council office in northern Israel.This is the first stage of B’nai B’rith International’s Mt. Carmel fire recovery program to be completed. The cost of the phones—each of which carried a dedication from both B’nai B’rith International and B’nai B’rith Europe (the primary funders of the program)—including a two-year operation package, was $25,000. “When B’nai B’rith learned that the fire destroyed communication towers, severely impacting communication efforts, we wanted to provide this technology for the response teams,” B’nai B’rith International Interim President Allan J. Jacobs said. “Our ability to respond to the unmet needs in disaster and emergency assistance is due to our donors and members who ardently support these campaigns.” The regional search and rescue teams are all members of F.I.R.S.T.—Fast Israel Rescue and Search Teams, which has been a major partner in B’nai B’rith’s international disaster relief missions undertaken around the world through IsraAID—The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid. “Both F.I.R.S.T. and IsraAID provide vital ground-level aid to communities facing disasters and destruction. With the addition of the satellite phones, we hope to strengthen their already highly effective support and relief efforts as they respond to those in desperate need of humanitarian aid in Israel and around the world,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said.F.I.R.S.T. Chairman Avi Bahar, a former senior Israel Defense Forces officer, expressed deep gratitude to B’nai B’rith and its contributors for making the satellite phones available. He noted that the teams had long wanted use of this essential communications tool, but the purchase price and operating costs were too expensive for his all-volunteer force. “This equipment will undoubtedly save lives here in Israel and will also serve us on disaster relief missions abroad,” Bahar added.

B’nai B’rith welcomes the United States-initiated U.N. Human Rights Council resolution condemning Syria’s attacks against civilian protesters. The resolution, adopted April 29, mandates the dispatching of a mission to investigate violations of international human rights law in Syria.

After more than a month of unrest, some human rights groups inside Syria put the death toll at more than 500. Countless others have been detained.

Earlier, the U.N. Security Council failed to reach the consensus necessary to issue a statement condemning the violent Syrian repression.

Meeting in response to a U.S. request, the U.N. Human Rights Council resolution on “The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic in the context of recent events,” passed with 26 votes in favor to 9 against with 7 abstentions.The resolution noted that the council expressed “…deep regret at the deaths of hundreds of people in connection with the recent and ongoing political protests in Syria, and grave concern with respect to alleged deliberate killings, arrests, and instances of torture of peaceful protestors by the Syrian authorities.”

In the resolution, the council also “Unequivocally condemns the use of lethal violence against peaceful protestors by the Syrian authorities and urges the Syrian Government to immediately put an end to all human rights violations, protect its population, and respect fully all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly; further urges the authorities to allow access to the Internet and telecommunications networks and to lift censorship on reporting, including by allowing appropriate access by foreign journalists.”

Syria has been seeking a seat on the world’s premier watchdog agency for human rights. B’nai B’rith International has spoken out forcefully against Syria’s fitness to serve on the council. Damascus’ ban on anti-government protests and its brutal reaction to Syrians seeking a more representative government should once and for all disqualify Syria from a seat on the Human Rights Council.

B’nai B’rith appreciates the efforts of the United States in bringing this matter before the Human Rights Council.

B’nai B’rith International salutes the U.S. military action that led to the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

In addressing the nation late on May 1, President Obama said: “We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies.” He later noted of the principle figure behind the Sept. 11 attacks: “We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to families who have lost loved ones to al-Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.” More than 3,000 Americans died on 9/11.

B’nai B’rith International welcomes the message this action sends to terrorists: that the United States will relentlessly protect its people.

Of course many questions remain. For starters, about what becomes of the al-Qaeda terror network without its leader, and about the Pakistani authorities’ role in either helping bin Laden hide or assisting in his capture.

But for now, we should take this moment to reflect on the successful pursuit of a mass murderer, who was responsible for such devastating loss of life in the United States and in so many places around the globe.